Fire extinguisher cabinet

ABSTRACT

A FIRE EXTINGUISHER CABINET IS DISCLOSED WHICH INCLUDES A GLASS FRONT PANEL THAT MUST BE BROKEN TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. FOR PERIODIC CHECKING OR REPLACEMENT OF THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, THE GLASS PANEL IS SLIDABLY REMOVABLE THROUGH AN ELONGATED PASSAGE FORMED IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CABINET. TO PREVENT THEFT OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, A CLOSURE MEMBER FOR THE SLIDE IS PROVIDED WHICH IS BOTH LOCKABLE AND TAMPERPROOF.

United States Patent William L. Fudge;

Lloyd L. Klein, Minneapolis, Minn. 853,841

Aug. 28, 1969 June 28, 1971 Larsent s Manufacturing Company Minneapolis, Minn.

lnventors AppL No. Filed Patented Assignee FIRE EXTINGUISHER CABINET 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 220/55, 220/4 l, 220/82 Int. Cl B65d45l28, B65d 43/12, B65d 25/54 Field of Search 220/55, 55 (L), 41, 82

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,201 2/1930 White 220/55(L)UX 2,395,701 2/1946 Weiss 220/82 2,558,599 6/1951 Wiles 220/41X Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Attorney- Merchant and Gould Pmmmwmn 8,587,913

SHEET 1 OF 2 IN, iNTOR. W/LLIAM L. FLIDG LLOYD L. KLEIN BY Wghg/ ATTORNEYS PATENTED Juuzsmn SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM L. FQDGE. l L OYD L. KLEIN ATTORN E Y 5 FIRE EXTINGUISI-IER CABINET The subject invention falls within the art of fire extinguisher cabinets. Specifically, it contemplates a cabinet that is lockable and essentially tamperproof to discourage unauthorized access to the enclosed fire extinguisher other than during emergency situations.

One existing fire extinguisher cabinet consists ofa rectangular metal box the face of which is open to receive a fire extinguisher. A glass panel is slidably insertable through an elongated passage formed in one of the end walls of the box to form a front wall that can be broken to gain entry to the box. To prevent unauthorized access to the box, the elongated passage is closed by means of a lockable hinged member. A problem arises with this arrangement, however, since the necessary outward movement of the hinged closure member usually requires the hinge to be mounted on the outside of the box, or in an otherwise exposed position. The exposed hinge is a particularly vulnerable spot for tempering which can result in forced opening of the box and theft of the fire extinguisher.

Our invention is directed to a removable closure member for the elongated passage, one end of which is constructed to merge with the cabinet in a tamperproof manner with the other end including a lock that operates in conjunction with the cabinet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a front view of a fire extinguisher cabinet incorporating the inventive concept;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a fire extinguisher cabinet, part of which is broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a fire extinguisher cabinet taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the fire extinguisher cabinet taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the fire extinguisher cabinet; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view ofa closure member for the fire extinguisher cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a fire extinguisher cabinet represented generally by the numeral 11 is shown to include a backwall I2, sidewalls l3 and 14, a top end wall I5 and a bottom end wall 16. As indicated, the aforementioned wall members have angularly formed edges that are appropriately joined to form an open rectangular box. The preferred material is metal, although other materials could be used. Surrounding the rectangular box and disposed intermediate its depth is a mounting plate 17 that engages a mounting wall or partition to enable a recessed installation of cabinet 11.

The open front of the rectangular metal cabinet is closed by a glass panel 18 which is removable as will be discussed below. To gain access to a fire extinguisher housed by cabinet 1] under emergency conditions glass panel 18 is broken by means of a glass breaker 19 connected to cabinet 11 by a rivet 21 and chain 22.

Referring now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that glass panel 18 is slidably insertable and removable through an elongated passage 23 formed by the narrower bottom wall 16, which terminates in a thickened leading edge 30. In order to hold glass panel 18 in proper position grooves 24 and 25 are formed on each inner side of cabinet 11 by the respective angular edges of sidewalls 14 and in combination with angular brackets 26 and 27.

Formed in bottom end wall 16 are a slot 31 and a keyholeshaped opening 32, the purpose of which will be described below.

Referring to FIG. 6, a closure member represented generally at 33 is used to close passage 23 in bottom end wall 16 after glass panel 18 has been inserted and properly positioned. Closure member 33 consists ofa generally flat plate 34 having an upturned edge 35. At one end ofclosure member 33 is attached a conventional lock 36 having a rotatable locking portion 37. At the opposite end of closure member 33 is an L- shaped tab 38 which is elevated slightly above the plane of plate 34 by virtue of a stepped portion 39 (see also FIG. 4). A recess 40 is also formed in the last-named end the purpose of which will be described below.

Referring additionally to FIGS. 3-5, it can be seen that upon insertion of glass panel 18 through passage 23 and into grooves 24 and 25 closure member 33 can be positioned to close passage 23. This is done by inserting tab 38 into slot 31, rotating the locking end downward to enable advancement of the stepped portion 39 through slot 31, rotating the locking end upward, inserting lock 36 through keyhole-shaped opening 32 and rotating locking member 37 (FIG. 4).

Advancement of the stepped portion 39 through slot 31 permits full insertion of the L-shaped tab 38 into cabinet 11. Thus, with the locking member 37 rotated neither end of closure member 33 can be removed. As best seen in FIG. 5, the recess 40 receives that portion of bottom end wall 16 between slot 31 and leading edge 30. This enables plate 34 of closure member 33 to flatly engage bottom wall 16 throughout its length with edge 35 engaging and covering the respective angular edges ofside walls 13 and 14.

In its assembled state, the fire extinguisher cabinet 11 is virtually tamperproof since no vulnerable part is left exposed. Further, it is inherently simpler than prior art devices since it requires no hinge. Thus, the invention affords a lockable, essentially tamperproof fire extinguisher cabinet that is both simple to fabricate and operate.

We claim:

1. A fire extinguisher cabinet, comprising:

a. first and second sidewalls, first and second end walls and a backwall forming an open rectangular box adapted to receive and support a fire extinguisher;

b. one of the end walls constructed to form an elongated passage adjacent the open front of the rectangular box, said one end wall having a slot disposed near the first sidewall and an opening disposed near the second sidewall;

c. a breakable, transparent wall member slidably insertable into and removable from the rectangular box through the elongated passage;

d. retaining means disposed in substantial alignment with the elongated passage for holding the inserted transparent wall member in a position closing the open front;

e. and a removable closure member for the elongated passage, comprising;

1. an elongated flat plate;

2. a tab formed at one end of the flat plate and disposed for insertion into the slot;

3. the flat plate having a stepped portion for elevating the tab from the plane of the flat plate;

and lockingmeans disposed near the opposite end of the fiat plate for insertion into the opening, the locking means constructed and arranged for lockable operation with said one end wall.

2. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the first and second sidewalls, the first andsecond end walls and the backwall are metal.

3. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the transparent wall member is glass.

4. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein said one end wall is the bottom wall of the rectangular box.

5. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the opening is keyhole-shaped, and the locking means includes a locking member insertable through the keyhole-shaped opening and rotatable to a position precluding removal of the locking means from the opening.

6. The device as defined by claim 1, wherein the retaining means comprises a panel-receiving groove disposed on the inner side of each of the first and second sidewalls.

7. The device as defined by claim I, wherein the tab is L- shaped, and the closure member further comprises an upturned front edge constructed and arranged to cover a portion of the inserted transparent wall member. 

